grand rapids fashion Archives - Page 2 of 3

Launch Party

April 29, 2014/2 Comments/in Fashion /by Jessica Swagman

“In his blue gardens men and girls came and went like moths among the whisperings and the champagne and the stars.” F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby

Last week Thursday I launched my first fashion collection. This is a dream I have had for many years and it was exciting and scary, thrilling and nerve-racking. With the launch of my collection we decided to have a launch party. It is one thing to plan an event for a client or friend; it’s another when it’s for you. Add to the mix an extreme nervousness I had to the public acceptance and judgment of the collection and you have a whole bag of emotions. Thankfully, I have a team that is amazing and friends and family who have spent countless hours helping me.

The six-piece collection was inspired by my love of French impressionist paintings. This theme was illustrated throughout the collection by the use of soft pastels, hand-painted vintage floral and toile motifs, and flowing fabrics, with a distinct elegance that cohesively brought every piece together. All the pieces in the collection were hand painted and dyed, making them all one of a kind. The long dress took over 20 hours to create, from hand dying the fabric, to hand painting the pattern, to drafting the pattern and then finally constructing the garment.

Gold. Crystal. Champagne. Romantic Blooms. Modern Vintage. These are a few of my favorite things, all of which inspired the launch party. An affair, that, at the end of the night, I was extremely proud of.

“I believe that on the first night I went to Gatsby’s house I was one of the few guests who had actually been invited. People were not invited — they went there.” F. Scott Fitzgerald, The Great Gatsby

Finding Balance

March 22, 2014/0 Comments/in Living /by Jessica Swagman

“Life is a balance of holding on and letting go.” Rumi

My life has been a delicate balance that is precariously close to toppling over. Some days I feel like I am juggling way too much and that something has to go, but that’s not a sacrifice I am willing to make.

Obviously there are good days and bad days. The good days are the days that I focus on each business, meet with clients, get some spec sheets done, have time for some quick phone calls or text messages to friends, and a few minutes to myself to recharge. The bad days are days that I spend entirely at my desk wrapped up in just one of my businesses and ignoring the other completely, not finding time to even reach out to a friend that needs a little encouragement, and realizing at the end of the day that I did not even brush my hair.

Oh sure, I look like all my ducks are lined up in a row, and most days I like to think they are. But there are the days that I feel like I’m balancing one thing too many and that at any second it’s all going to come toppling over.

So, while I am not willing to sacrifice something in my life in order to keep sane, I have learned to rely on others for help. I have learned to delegate and not control, I have learned to let go and trust. This is a big step for the perfectionist, controlling, self-reliant person that I am. But in order to regain balance in my life, this is what it takes. Plus, it’s a lot more fun having people by your side helping you on your journey.

Busyness, Business, and Beauty

February 20, 2014/0 Comments/in Events, Fashion, Living, Weddings /by Jessica Swagman

“Never get so busy making a living that you forget to make a life.”

I have been busy. That may be an understatement. These past few weeks have been a marathon of business meetings, client appointments, photo shoots, event proposals, floral quotes, fashion designing, and sleepless nights. Apparently I do my best thinking at 4am in the morning. However, it’s in these times of busy and stress that I am reminded (by a little Canadian birdie) to enjoy. Enjoy everything. I am reminded that this adventure for me is only beginning and that half of the beauty is in the journey. I tend to get so caught up in the finished product, the end result, the tear down at the end of a wedding, the finished garments of a spring line, and somehow I seem to miss all the beauty. So, somehow in-between all the craziness that is my life, I am trying to laugh a little more and to enjoy hard life lessons. I am learning to enjoy the stumbling and faltering, and I am trying to find the beauty in everything.

Lovely Lace

January 21, 2014/2 Comments/in Events, Fashion, Weddings /by Jessica Swagman

I met Whitney back in December of 2012. She was looking for someone to design and construct her flower girl dresses and, like many people, asked her Facebook friends for suggestions. A mutual Facebook friend mentioned my name (thanks Jen!) and I was given the lovely pleasure of working with Whitney. When we first met at Field’s Fabrics, she described her wedding, and like most wedding planners, I was in love already. An outdoor ceremony in a wooded amphitheater behind her mom’s house? Yes! A clear tent on the lakeshore with fairy lights twinkling in the night? Yes yes yes! Fortunately, I have some self control and I was able to focus on her flower girl dresses. Lace, sheer sleeves, and ribbon closures make for one amazing dress for a 2 year old, or in this case, two 2 year olds. Whitney was a dream to work with, telling me what she wanted and then giving me the creative freedom to do the rest.

After Whitney and Marc’s wedding on September 7, 2013, I eagerly and impatiently (I was just too excited) waited for pictures. It was so stunning and beautiful, rain and all. The both looked amazing and so happy and I was honored to have my little part in their big day. Whitney and Marc, may you have all the love and happiness in the world.

Below, are some of the amazing pictures by Jill DeVries. Head over to Jill Devries Photography for some more awesome pictures of this wedding.

Where has autumn gone?

November 19, 2013/0 Comments/in Events, Fashion, Flowers, Home /by Jessica Swagman

With one wedding left for 2013, I find myself cocooning inside my house covered in blankets, staring outside at the chilly air. Oh wait, that’s only in my daydreams. With only one wedding left, things are winding down on the wedding front, but picking up on every other front. So, instead of sitting inside with a cup of steaming tea, I find myself bundling up in my woolen scarves, with a mug of hot chocolate in hand, running around town for clients, emailing late into the night, picking up thousands of fabric scraps that have migrated all over the house, and feeling like autumn has literally passed me by in my sleep. Is it winter already? I was looking at my planner today, thinking to myself that I should get started on my Christmas shopping, wondering if I have time to pick up my tofurkey before next week, and wondering if Superman has a phone number so he can help me with those mundane tasks like buying clothing labels, hang tags, and POS supplies. Thankfully, I have some pretty fantastic friends and family who have given up their days-off to help me winterize my succulents, create my fashion brand, make jewelry, and guide me on balancing event planning with fashion design. For you, I am forever thankful.

I am also thankful for nights when my internet is on the fritz, so instead of working, I get to take the night off and watch (I mean really watch, not working and watching) a movie with popcorn. When the sun shines for just a couple hours and I can finish spray painting my trunk.

After all, we can be thankful for even the smallest things in life.

Posts

Launch Party

Finding Balance

Busyness, Business, and Beauty

Lovely Lace

Where has autumn gone?

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